The Dickinson press. (Dickinson, Stark County, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1883-1927, 1887-07-30
In GIRLDOM,

visit was terminating toward the end of July
received a letter from home, asking me to
bring back with me sister, whose term at
school i'll Skipperton, n town in the same
county, ended about that time III an evil
hour consented and made my way to Skip
perton. l got there Oh n Saturday. expecting
to go on i'll the course of the same day; but it
was not to he. Having left my luggage at
this most perplexing of stations, walked to
the address. Algebra Lodge" and found Il
fine old house of some size, fronted by n
painfully trim gravel walk and mcnscr
flower beds.
On the door being opened i'll answer to my
ring, was ushered 10y particularly tidy
maid into sitting room of quite exceptional
neatness. This excessive order everywhere
made me feel nervous; reflected that l had
been travelling, saw that my clothes were
dusty, felt my necktie awry, and shuddcred
ut the thought of n possible smudge on my
face. However, there was no time to put
things ship shape, for Il r,stling was heard,
and i'll came the head mistress herself. Now
l had heard very bad accounts of Miss
Spinncy, for such was her name from
my sister and her friends. She was
spiteful, cross as two sticks, would read
letters, even open them when marked
''private" with a double dash, always
confiscatcd nice novels, and was quite too
dreadtullv suspicious of "cousins" who might
wish to call. Being, venture to say, a man
OF some experience in these matters, had
heavily discounted these notes of character,
putting Sensational" inSte;.l of nice" before
novels, and considering That letters marked
"private," with n double dash, We're probably
quite as suspicious as the 'cou>ns' from
whom they might cmanntc. tIlpw often
does the word cousin cover multitude of
sins9 Still l was not prepared for so nice u
person rs Miss Spinney turned OH! to be- She
had ringlets indeed, but not of the rigid black
corksclew description had expected; hers
were OF u soft gray color; ins' ai Of being
angular, she was decidedly round: instead Of
staring me out of countenance with hard
stony eyes. size beamed upon me most cffu-
slvely through gold trimmed spectacles.
After putting me thoroughly at my case,
she Informed M" very pleasantly that my
sister could not possibly he ready to leave
before Monday. AT this l was naturally
agh;lst, but nfter Il moments consideration
replied TINT could put up for Sunday ut the
"Crown"
"The Crown" said the generous spinstcr;
mo such thing! l can give you a spare room,
and You will have all you want in my own
part'of the house, besides being near your
sister"
Overcome hy her warmth gave in at once
and accepted her offer No sooner had
started on my way to the station TO fetch my
luggage than my heart inisgavc nc-but it
was tou late; tho die was cast. Sadly CHI
tered cab, and gloonlicr grew my thoughts
ncl I T
Just as the miserable horse drew up to the
gate the young ladies We're returning from
their afternoons walk, two by two in the ap-
proved style. stepped ont and had to en-
counter the gaze of twenty pairs of cnger
eyes. This so unnervc'l me that offered the
cahnan Il penny instead of Il form, which he
held up to the gaze of the aforesaid eyes to
complete my discontinue. do not know
how 1 should have staggered into the house
had it not been for the assistance of MY sister.
having first Disguised lnc .v u frantic and
public embrace and ndlrcssn. me as "Pug!'
Such, alas, was the nam" by which l was
maligned Mt hone-a name filter for n dog
than u man. However, did manage to get
i'll, and on being shown to Il room cooled INV
face and feelings i'll basin of water. Oh.
why did not mark that room. Suffice it to
say that did not, but descended calelcsslv to
tea, u cozy meal which l shared with Miss
Spinney and my sister in Il comfortable room
known as th" library.
After tea proposed to take my sister for
drive i'll order that might sec something of
tho country round. Leave was extended
until ., and little pony trap was soon at the
door. Now am little vain of my driving
powers and therefore was not sorry to see all
available windows occupied by curious faces
as we got in. l gently shook the reins hut
the pony stood stock still; | snartly touched
him OH the ear, i'll response to which he play
fully kicked up his hind legs and flicked his
tail. Again and again ! repeated the dose
but with no more encouraging result At
last the knotted end of the lash caught him
sharp on the nostril and, stullg with pain he
started forward with such jerk that lost
my lat. After n severe struggle he was
hauled in, and my hat restored. but altogether
felt that tho whole incident had been with
out dignity, if not positively ridiculous, and
my pleasure in the drive was utterly de-
stroyed.
AS soon as we got back, my sister was
packed off somewhere or other, Will" made
my way to the library, where 1 found Miss
Spinney and three of the teachers. one
looking rather duenna like, the other two
young and decidedly prepossessing, all
gathered round the supper table This
enjoyable meal over, Miss Spinney re-
tired and left the four of us alone. We
had got on excellentlv at supper after the
first awkwardness had worn off. the tluenna
i'll particular, thawing i'll the most surprising
manner; and now she actually proposed II
rubber. The rubber was great fun my part
her had pretty blue eyes, and used them in
the most charming way to signal messages,
which kept NE always on the gui vive to i'll
terpret and reply to. Sometimes our tele-
graphic glances were intercepted by the
duenna on my left; the first time l became
preteynaturally solemn and was instantly alb
sorbed i'll my hand, hut looking out of the
corner of my eye l thought l noticed an
amused expression fit across her face, 50 my
courage was restored, and thenceforward our
eyes wore quite unblushingly bold. Indeed,
l presently proposed to initiate the party into
what said was a simple household game
called poker The proposal was received
with reclamation.
~ have SO often read of the game i'll Bret
Harte's touching stories, and wondered what
it was like said the duenna
They were apt pupils, or my enthusiasm
for the game was contagious, and the bets
tuat "eie iiaue "eie qulte SuOchlnS 10 see,
as the poet of the game would have observed
had he assisted at it now. 1t is true we
We're not playing for money-what then.
Blue eyes knew as well as I did, or perhaps
as the reader has OWNED. But all happiness
must have all end, and at 1880 the ,lnlenna,
resuming suddenly her severest aspect,
declared we must now leave off They
bade me good night one by one,
Blue Eyes last, and will declare her hand
pressed mine, or mine hers. longest and closest
of all.
So 1 was left alone, and after incoming
round the room for a few minutes, was about
to follow their example, when my eye was
caught by shelf i'll bookcase behind the
door, filled with yellow covers. "@Ah!'
thought 1, here are the ronfications." And
so tl.v were: few French novels, dotted
amongst a number Of wild English selsa-
tional yellow backs II w''~ horriiied to find
"Jane Eyre" represented hy three copies;
mortified, mean, to ihrl them contScatedl
formed the choice collection. The bulk of
tbop, seemed mere. sentimental tWaddl!nSS,